Acoustically or electrically controlled fluid amplifiers



Dec. 3, 1968 J, F|NE 3,413,996

ACOUSTICALLY OR ELEC'IRICALLY CONTROLLED FLUID AMPLiFIERs Filed Sept. 1 1966 I T R EYS H J v A lA/I/ENTO? Jam THAN E. FINE United States Patent 3,413,996 ACOUSTICALLY 0R ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED FLUID AMPLIFIERS Jonathan E. Fine, Washington, D.C., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretally of the Army Filed Sept. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 58l),156 8 Claims. (Cl. 137-815) This invention relates to fluid amplifiers and more particularly to means for acoustically or electrically controlling the power stream of a fluid amplifier. The switching of the power stream in accordance with the present invention is provided by a pressure transducer which provides a fluid pulse to act on the power stream of a fluid signal can be greatly amplified.

Pure fluid amplifiers are a relatively new addition to the control art and are characterized by their ability to amplify fluid signals, and perform related operations, without the need for moving mechanical parts.

A typical pure fluid amplifier includes a power jet nozzle from which a power stream emanates. A short distance from the center of the power jet nozzle is a divider which defines two output channels through either of which the power stream can discharge to provide a fluid output. Various schemes are available for controlling the power stream of which the most popular is a pair of fluid control nozzles adjacent, and at right angles, to the power jet nozzle. The fluid control nozzles will receive the signal to be amplified and by directing fluid against the power stream can control the movements of the latter. Only a small amount of energy in the control nozzle is necessary to control the mainstreams direction and thus a small fluid signal can be greatly amplifiied.

The present invention is concerned with providing means to use an electric or acoustic signal to control the power stream of a fluid amplifier. In many control applications it is desirable to use an acoustic or electric signal to provide a control signal for a control device, such as a fluid amplifier, without the need for complex devices to adapt the signal for the amplifier. Applicant has provided a simple, yet eflicient, system for employing an acoustic or electric signal to control a fluid amplifier.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for the switching of a fluid amplifier by means of an acoustic or electric signal.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for converting an acoustic or electric signal into a fluid pulse.

A further object of the present invention is to provide for the simultaneous increase and decrease of pressure at the control nozzles of a fluid amplifier.

Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following specification and drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a pressure driver for converting an acoustic or electric signal into a pressure signal.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a fluid amplifier adapted to be controlled by an acoustic or electric signal in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an acoustic or electric signal control-ling proportional amplifier.

In FIG. 1 pressure generator includes transmission pipe 11. The pipe at its right end opens into discharge nozzle 12 which is a converging nozzle. An inlet nozzle 13, which is placed along the length of pipe 11, is similarly a converging nozzle but is inverted with respect to the interior of pipe 11. Inlet nozzle 13 communicates with a source of fluid 18 while discharge nozzle 12 delivers positive pressure to the device to be activated. At the left end of pipe 11 is a pressure driver 14 which is simply 3,413,996 Patented Dec. 3, 1968 a device for sensing an acoustic or electric signal and producing a pressure pulse in response to the sensed signal. A typical pressure driver could be a loud speaker, an electrically vibrated diaphragm, or a piezo-electric device for converting electric signals into mechanical movement which would create a pressure pulse. A pressure driven diaphragm could similarly be used.

When pressure driver 14 receives a signal it will produce a series of pressure waves as the pressure driver includes a vibrating element; for a speaker the cone will vibrate, for a piezo-electric device the crystal will vibrate and for an electrically or pressure vibrated diaphragm the diaphragm will vibrate. As the moving element of pressure driver 14 moves into pipe 11 it will decrease the volume of the pipe 11 and correspondingly increase the pressure in the pipe. The increased pressure in pipe will discharge from nozzle 12 and not nozzle 13 because of their symmetry with respect to the interior of pipe 11. Nozzle 13 is inverted with respect to the interior of pipe 11 while nozzle 12 provides a smooth discharge from the interior of the pipe. Thus, for any increase in pressure in the interior of pipe 11, the fluid will discharge from nozzle 12 as it will provide the path of least resistance from the fluid in pipe 11. As the vibrating device of pressure driver 14 moves to the left of transmisison pipe 11 the volume inside the pipe will increase and the pressure will decrease inside the pipe. Fluid from source 18 will flow into pipe 11 via nozzle 13 since the interior of the pipe will be at a low pressure. Very little fluid will flow into the pipe from nozzle 12 as this nozzle is inverted with respect to flow from the outside of the pipe to the interior presenting a path of high impedance for flow into the pipe. Thus it can be readily seen that as the vibrating device of pressure driver 14 is moved fluid will alternately be sucked into pipe 11 by inlet nozzle 13 and discharged through discharge nozzle 12 thus providing for a positive pressure output.

In FIG. 2 a bistable fluid amplifier 20 is shown having outlets 21 and 22 separated by splitter 24. Power fluid issues from power nozzle 23 which is supplied with fluid from a source of pressure 30. Adjacent power nozzle 23 are control nozzles 28 and 26. Each control nozzle is positioned with respect to power nozzle 23 so as to be able to control the direction of fluid issuing from power nozzle 23. Control nozzle 26 receives the signal to be amplified by conduit 27 while control nozzle 28 coincides with the discharge nozzle 12 of a pressure generator .10.

If fluid from power nozzle 23 is discharging from outlet 21 no signal from control nozzle 26 is necessary to maintain this discharge as the system is a bistable one. If signal is received by the pressure driver 14 and translated into a pressure signal to left control nozzle 28, the fluid from the nozzle will switch the fluid from outlet 22 in a manner well-known in the art. Thus it can be seen that I have provided for means to switch a bistable fluid amplifier by means of an electrical or acoustical energy signal.

In FIG. 3 a proportional amplifier 40 is shown having outlets 41 and 42 separated by splitter 43. A main power stream supplied by a suitable source 45 issues from nozzle 44. Adjacent nozzle 44 are control nozzles 62 and 63. Control nozzles 62 and 63 are connected with a signaling pressure by conduits 50 and 51 respectively in their operative state and in their quiescent state are merely closed from ambient or connected with the ambient through a restricted means. Communicating with conduit 50 by conduit 54 and inlet nozzle 53 is transmission pipe 61 having a pressure driver 68 at one end. The pipe 61 has a bend 74 in it which leads to section 62 of the pipe which terminates in discharge nozzle 64 which leads to conduit 51.

62 and 63 in a manner well-known in the art. If it is desired to deflect more of the output from nozzle 44 to outlet 41 a signal, either electrical or acoustical, will be sent and detected by pressure driver 68. If the signal is electrical in nature the driver could be a loudspeaker, a piezo-electric device, an electrically vibrated element or any other well-known device. A diaphragm could also be used if a pressure signal were applied thereto. When the pressure driver 68 is activated fluid is driven from transmission pipe 61 and discharge nozzle 64 to conduit 51. Since conduit 51 is blocked off or restricted when it is not receiving a fluid signal the flow from pipe 61 flows out control nozzle 63 directing more flow from nozzle 44 to outlet 41 and less flow to outlet 42. It is also noted that during the active state of pressure driver 68 fluid is being sucked from left control nozzle 62 into transmission pipe 61 because of the low pressure created in the pipe when fluid is discharged out nozzle 64. The suction created by the pipe when coupled with the positive pressure output is extremely eifective to control a proportional amplifier. Thus, it can be seen, I have shown a simple way to use an acoustic or electric signal to control a fluid amplifier.

It will be apparent that the embodiments shown are only exemplary and that various modifications can be made in construction and arrangement within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A proportional fluid amplifier comprising: an interaction chamber, power nozzle means to direct fluid into said interaction chamber, plural outlets communicating with said interaction chamber, one control nozzle adjacent one side of said power nozzle, a second control nozzle adjacent the other side of said power nozzle, means to simultaneously create a suction pulse on said one control nozzle and a pressure pulse on said second control nozzle, said means to simultaneously create a suction pulse on said one control nozzle and a pressure pulse on said second control nozzle including a transmission pipe having two ends and interconnecting said control nozzles, and a pressure transducer located at one end of said transmission pipe and a discharge nozzle at said other end being communicated to said second control nozzle, an inlet nozzle for said transmission pipe, said inlet nozzle being inverted with respect to the interior of said transmission pipe and communicating with said one control nozzle.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said pressure transducer is a loudspeaker.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said pressure transducer includes means to transform electrical signals into pressure waves in said transmission pipe.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said pressure transducer is a pressure operated diaphragm.

5. In a fluid amplifier having a power nozzle, two control nozzles positioned opposite each other and perpendicular to said power nozzle, a splitter downstream of said power nozzle defining two outlets, the improvement comprising: a transmission pipe having two ends and comcommunicating with one of said control nozzles, said transmission pipe having pressure transducer means at one end and a discharge nozzle at the other end to communicate with said one control nozzle, an inlet converging nozzle placed along the length of said pipe and positioned with respect to the interior of the pipe to provide low impedance to flow to said interior of said pipe and high impedance to flow from said interior of said pipe.

6. A device according to claim 4 wherein said pressure transducer is a loudspeaker.

7. A device according to claim 4 wherein said pressure transducers includes means to transform electric signals into pressure waves in said pipe.

8. A device according to claim 4 wherein said transducer is a pressure driven diaphragm.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,175,569 3/1965 Sower 1378l5 3,176,703 4/1965 Sparrow 137-815 3,185,166 5/1965 Horton et al. 137-815 3,217,727 11/1965 Spyropoulos 137-815 3,266,510 8/1966 Wadey 13781S 3,320,966 5/1967 Swartz l37--8l5 SAMUEL SCOTT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PROPORTIONAL FLUID AMPLIFIER COMPRISING: AN INTERACTION CHAMBER, POWER NOZZLE MEANS TO DIRECT FLUID INTO SAID INTERACTION CHAMBER, PLURAL OUTLETS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID INTERACTION CHAMBER, ONE CONTROL NOZZLE ADJACENT ONE SIDE OF SAID POWER NOZZLE, A SECOND CONTROL NOZZLE ADJACENT THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID POWER NOZZLE, MEANS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY CREATE A SUCTION PULSE ON SAID ONE CONTROL NOZZLE AND A PRESSURE PULSE ON SAID SECOND CONTROL NOZZLE, SAID MEANS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY CREATE A SUCTION PULSE ON SAID ONE CONTROL NOZZLE AND A PRESSURE PULSE ON SAID SECOND CONTROL NOZZLE INCLUDING A TRANSMISSION PIPE HAVING TWO ENDS AND INTERCONNECTING SAID CONTROL NOZZLES, AND A PRESSURE TRANSDUCER LOCATED AT ONE END OF SAID TRANSMISSION PIPE AND A DISCHARGE NOZZLE AT SAID OTHER END BEING COMMUNICATED TO SAID SECOND CONTROL NOZZLE, AN INLET NOZZLE FOR SAID TRANSMISSION PIPE, SAID INLET NOZZLE BEING INVERTED WITH RESPECT TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID TRANSMISSION PIPE AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID ONE CONTROL NOZZLE. 